The Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE), the state's largest union for employees working in public schools, says bus drivers in the Princeton City School District plan to strike on Oct. 1.
OAPSE said early Wednesday morning that the union's decision comes after a Sept. 29 bargaining session with the school district's transportation contractor First Student ended without an agreement. The bus drivers' current contract with First Student ends Sept. 30.
Princeton City Schools, which is not a part of the negotiations or contract dispute, says the possible strike will disrupt the school district's transportation services. In a message to families, Princeton Superintendent Mari Phillips wrote that all schools will remain open Thursday and Friday with extended drop-off and pick-up times during the stoppage.
Students will need to find their own transportation, but will not be penalized for being tardy or absent. Those who can't attend school in person will be given assignments they can complete at home.
In a statement shared Wednesday morning, First Student says it's still hoping to reach an agreement before a work stoppage begins.
"We bargained late into the evening last night and presented the union with a strong proposal that provides wage increases well above the average in the industry. Despite that meaningful proposal, we have not yet received a counterproposal or formal response from the union," a portion of the statement reads. "We are scheduled to meet again today at 5:00 p.m., and we remain ready to continue bargaining in good faith. However, union leadership has not clearly confirmed whether they will attend. A strike is not in the best interest of students, families, or the community, and it should not be used as a substitute for continued negotiations."
OAPSE Field Representative Derryl Hall says members of Princeton's bus drivers union, Local 184, are seeking higher wages, additional pay for covering more routes due to staffing shortages, and guaranteed working hours. The union is proposing an additional $3 per hour for drivers in the first year of a new contract, plus another $2 per hour in the following two years.
Hall says Princeton's drivers are struggling to get by financially, and were initially offered a five-cent raise over three years by First Student. OAPSE says First Student's most recent offer on Tuesday night was a $2 per hour raise in the first year of the contract, with a $1 per hour raise in the next two. The union rejected that offer.
"When people working a full school-year schedule qualify for Medicaid, the wages are the problem," Hall said. "These drivers get Princeton's kids to school and back home safely every day, and they are the reason First Student makes money on this contract. Offering them another nickel over three years tells you how the company values them. Nobody wants a strike, but First Student has left them no other choice."
Staffing shortages have caused transportation issues at Princeton City Schools since the start of the new school year. This week, between Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning alone, nearly 20 school bus routes were not operating due to a lack of drivers, forcing students to find alternative ways to get to school on short notice.
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